Wood-distilling apparatus.



PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1903.

0. M. PALMER.

WOOD DISTILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION'FILED MAY 11, 19Q3.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WOOD-DISTILLING- APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,461, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filed May 11, 1903. $erial No. 156,680. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES MARSHALL PALMER,of Palmerville,in the county of Stanley and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wood-Distilling Apparatus; and I hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

This invention is an improved apparatus for distilling Wood especially designed for distilling pine and other resinous woods and substances to obtain the essential oils and other useful products therefrom-such as turpentine, light and heavy creosoteoil, tar, charcoal, &c.--by one continuous distilling operation on a single charge of Wood, the operation of the apparatus being controlled and regulated as hereinafter explained to produce the desired results and obtain increased quantities and better qualities of the various products, the separation of the light and heavy oils and products being obtained in the primary stage of the distillation at the lowest temperature possible. The apparatus is so constructed that in a large measure the separation of light and heavy products will be automatically realized and the automatic separation or grading of the products be maintained practically throughout the entire process.

The accompanying drawing illustrates diagramatically an apparatus embodying the invention, which I shall now describe with reference to said drawing, referring to the claims for a brief statement of the essential features of the invention for which protection is desired.

The retort A is preferably made of sheet metal in the shape of a long cylinder standing on end and incased in brickwork G, the retort being placed within a suitable furnace, so as to be heated thereby, the ash-pit and fire-chamber being preferably below the retort and the upper end of the retort extending out of the furnace, so as to be comparatively cool. The lower end of the retort is slanted to drain the tar and heavy residuum into the pipe R, which may be provided with a valve '1 to close it when necessary. The wood or material to be treated can be introduced into the retort through a manhole 2,

and the charcoal can be removed through manhole 3, both closed by suitable means when the apparatus is in use. Steam can be admitted into the lower part of the retort through pipe F from a boiler B, said pipe being provided with valve 12. From the upper end of the retort projects a cap D, which gradually contracts and is connected with a pipe P, having a valve 8 by which it can be closed when desired. Beyond valve Sthere is a trap 19 in the pipe, whereby any matters condensed in the pipe are trapped and heavy vapors are retarded; but the light vapors pass upward and into a condenser S within a water-tank E, and the products of the condensation escape through pipe 15 to a suitable receiver, any gases passing off into pipe 15 escaping through vent-pipe H.

Below the trap 19 is a separating-drum C, which connects at top with the trap 19 by a pipe 0, provided with a valve 9, and said drum is connected at the bottom to a pipe V, which extends down into a water seal V, which is kept at proper depth by a carry-off pipe 26. The drum 0 communicates with the retort below the cooler upper end thereof by means of pipe L, provided with valve 7, said pipe entering the drum 0 at about its center and below an annular deflector K within the drum.- A pipe 10 connects the drum 0 at a point above the baffle-plate or deflector K with a condenser N in a tank E, pipelO having a valve 20, and another pipe 11 connects the lower part of drum 0 with a condenser M in a tank E A branch steam-pipe provided with cock F connects pipe F with drum C below the baffle-plate for the purpose of admitting steam into the drum to wash the vapors it may contain and also for cleaning the outlet-pipes and condensing-coils. A strainer L is preferably placed in the retort over the mouth of pipe 'L to prevent any large pieces of stufi, charcoal, &c., entering and clogging said pipe or passing therethrough into drum 0. A perforated plate a maybe placed in the retort to prevent hard substances clogging pipe R.

In using the apparatus to distil pine wood, for example, the operation is as follows: Retort A is filled with fat pine a little above the top of the furnace and the holes 2 and 3 tightly secured. Valve 7 is closed and valves along pipe P into condenser S, where they are liquefied, the gases being allowed to escape through pipe H. If any heavier products are forced up into pipe P by the heat in retort, such products will become cooled at 19 and find a more ready exit through pipe 0 into drum C and then to condenser M. After three to five hours treatment at the low temperature stated, according to the process of distillation, the steam is shut off and the temperature is raised from 200 to 230 Fahrenbelt and is thus maintained for a period of two hours or more till the lighter oils and water-vapors are run off. Then stop-cock 8 is closed and stop-cock 7 opened and the temperature raised to about 250 or 350 Fahrenheit and maintained thereat until most of the oil is driven off through the lower pipe L .into drum 0, where the heavier and most highly-colored products will settle near the bottom of drum 0 and escape through pipe 11 to condenser M, while the lighter oils containing less coloring-matter will rise above the inwardly-projecting shelf K K and escape to condenser N through pipe 10, and the clearer and most volatile product containing the best and most turpentine will seek the highest exit and pass through pipe 0 into pipe P at 19 and thence to condenser S. This temperature is maintained until the fiow of lighter gases becomes very sluggish or darker vapors appear, whereupon stop cocks 9 and '20 would be closed, the temperature raised about 50 Fahrenheit higher and maintained until all the creosote and heavy oil is driven off through pipes L, drum 0, and pipe 11 to condenser M and the tar drawn off through pipe R. The temperature of the retort is then lowered and the charcoal drawn through manhole 3,and the retort is recharged with wood for another run or distilling operation. The pipe V will carry oif the heavy oils deposited in drum 0; but owing to its lower end being water-sealed it will not allow any vapors to escape, and as vessel V fills the creosote and products lighter than Water will overflow through 26 into any suitable receiver. The pipe V can be left open at all stages of the process. The annular plate K in the drum 0 assists in separating the vapors entering the drum and prevents their whirling therein. This drum 0, with its peculiar connections to the retort and various condensers, and the trap 19 in the highest outlet-pipe are important features of the invention. The heat in the retort may cause some of the heavy vapors to pass through cap D and pipe P, but having lost some of the heat in this travel through the pipe they will not pass trap 19 in pipe P and will pass through pipe 0 to drum G, where they will be graded by the peculiar arrangements of the respective openings to pipes O, 10, and 11. The lighter products escape through pipe 0, the heavier through pipe 10, and the heaviest through pipe 11. The retort by having a lower opening'for the free escape of the heavier oils through pipe V lessens the need for very high heat, which would be necessary to drive the heavy vapors out at a very high opening, which is the chief cause of the formation of much coloring-matter in the oils and much other deleterious substance.

The special advantages of this process are the gradation and separation of the various products in the vapor state; second, the large condensing-worm S carries nothing but clear stuif and is not made foul with dark stuff corroding to it to be cleaned by clear stuff in the next charge, and therefore coloring a good part of the next charge; third, I do not have to raise the fire so high to drive the oils over; fourth, the baffle-plate in the drum 0 tends to cause an equilibrium of the incoming and outgoing vapors,thereby perfecting the gradation of same; fifth, the steam-pipe entering drum will allow the washing and agitating of the oils in the vapor state and is used in thoroughly cleaning all the pipes and condensingcoils when they are not in use.

Having thus described my invention, what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is'- 1. In an apparatus for distilling wood, a retort an outlet for light vapors at the top of the retort, a pipe connecting said outlet with a condenser, a drum below said pipe, communicating therewith, upper and lower vapor-outlets from the drum, pipes leading from the drum-outlets to condensers, and a pipe for conducting heavy vapors from the retort directly to said drum, said heavy-vapor pipe communicating with the retort at a point considerably below the upper end thereof, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for distilling wood, a retort, a light-vapor outlet at the top of the retort,a valved pipe connecting said outlet with a condenser, said pipe having a trap for heavy vapors intermediate the retort and condenser, a drum below the trap and communicating therewith, upper and lower vaporoutlets from the drum, pipes leading respectively from the drum-outlets to condensers, and a pipe communicating with the retort at a point considerably below the upper end thereof for conducting heavy vapors from the retort directly to said drum, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. An apparatus for distilling wood, comprising a retort having an outlet for light vapors at top and an outlet for heavy vapors in its side considerably below its top, a pipe connecting the top outlet with a condenser, a vapor-separating drum below the said pipe, a pipe connecting the heavy-vapor outlet with said drum, a connection between the top of said drum and said light-vapor pipe, a vapor-escape pipe connecting the upper part of the drum with a condenser, a second vapor-escape pipe connecting the lower part of drum with a condenser, and a drain-pipe connected with the bottomof the drum, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for distilling wood, the combination of a retort having an outlet for light vapors at top and an outlet for heavy vapors in its side considerably below its top, a pipe connecting the top outlet with a condenser, a vapor-trap in said pipe; a vaporseparating drum below the trap, a pipe connecting the heavy -vapor outlet with said drum, a connection between the top of said drum and said trap, a baffle-plate in the drum, a vapor-escape pipe connecting the upper part of the drum with a condenser and a second vapor-escape pipe connecting the lower part of drum with a condenser, and a drainpipe connected with the bottom of the drum, substantially as described.

5. The herein-described apparatus for distilling wood, comprising a retort having an outlet for light vapors at top, an outlet for" heavy vapors in its side considerably below its top, and a tar-outlet at bottom, means for heating said retort, means for introducing steam thereinto, a pipe connecting the top outlet with a condenser, a trap in said pipe intermediate the retort and condenser, a va-, por-separating drum below the trap, a connection between the upper end of said drum and said trap, a pipe connecting the heavyvapor outlet of the retort with the drum, a bafiie-plate in the drum, a vapor-escape pipe connecting the drum above the baffle-plate with a condenser; a second vapor-outlet pipe connecting the drum below the baffle-plate prising a retort having an outlet for light vapors at top an outlet for heavy vapors in its side considerably below its top, and a steaminlet at bottom, a pipe connecting the top va-' por-outlet with a condenser, a vapor-separating drum below the said pipe, a pipe connecting the heavy vapor outlet with said drum, a connection between the top of said drum and said light-vapor pipe, a vapor-escape pipe connecting the upper part of the drum with a condenser, a second vapor-escape pipe connecting the lower part of drum with a condenser, and a steam-pipe connected with the drum, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for distilling wood, the combination of a retort having an outlet for light vapors at top, an outlet for heavy vapors in its side considerably below its top, and a steam-inlet at bottom, a pipe connecting the top outlet with a condenser, a vaportrap in said pipe, at vapor-separating drum below the trap, a pipe connecting the heavyvapor outlet with said drum, a connection between the top of said drum and said trap, a baffle-plate in the drum, a vapor-escape pipe connecting the upper part of the drum with a condenser and a second vapor-escape pipe connecting the lower part of drum with a condenser, and a steam-pipe connected with the drum, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MARSHALL PALMER. In presence of- J. B. PALMER, I. T. BILER. 

